jobbridge

An advertisement for a qualified primary teacher internship on the JobBridge website has caused a bit of a furore.

The controversial JobBridge scheme ad is for a 9 month internship for a qualified primary teacher in a primary school in Athlone.

The intern is offered practical experience in teaching and advised that the intern “will be fully probated by the Department of Education”.

The internship scheme sees interns being paid 50 euros per week in addition to the intern’s current social welfare payment and the position in Athlone would see the intern working 30 hours per week.

INTO Reaction

The teachers’s union INTO are quoted as describing it as “exploitation”. The INTO has previously issued a directive to its members not to engage with JobBridge.

DES Reaction

The Department of Education and Skills issued a statement to thejournal.ie as follows:

The Department of Education and Skills has advised schools that they may participate in the JobBridge scheme if they wish. The scheme may not be used to displace existing staff or to fill a current vacancy, but any positions may be offered to newly qualified teachers, allowing them to complete the probationary process and become fully registered with the Teaching Council.

It also stated that its position in relation to the JobBridge scheme was set out in circular letter 46/2011.